OK, I've had pumpkin ale and potato stout, both pretty darn good, but has
anyone heard of or done any other veggie beers?
Just curious. I'm NOT thinking of making one...altough a rutabaga might
be...hmmmmmm....
--
Steve Fletty
fletty(a)umn.edu
Here's an article in today's NY Times about IPAs
A Soldier's Ration for a Summer Day
May 26, 2004
By ERIC ASIMOV
BACK when the legal drinking age was not taken as seriously
as it is now, I wrote beer reviews for my high school
newspaper. I didn't have much to choose from: a selection
of imports gathering dust on warm grocery shelves or a
thoroughly insipid group of domestic beers. You will get
the sense of the times if you recall that in the mid-1970's
Coors was a cult beer on the East Coast.
But one domestic brew rose far above the pallid norm. It
was Ballantine India Pale Ale, and I can still taste its
robust flavor with its snap of bitterness. I couldn't
always find this ale (and couldn't always buy it), but when
I could I savored every drop.
Alas, the Ballantine company doesn't exist anymore, except
perhaps as an orphaned brand name. But 30 years after I
first tasted I.P.A., the United States is awash in this
lively, strong and clear style.
Credit goes to the craft-brewing revolution of the 1980's
and 90's, which prodded the American beer industry out of
its midcentury torpor. Small brewers, eager to recreate
what they had tasted overseas or had merely read about,
resuscitated styles like I.P.A. that had been forgotten or
left for dead.
With an eager nod to the Memorial Day weekend, which some
regard as the official beginning of the summer
beer-drinking season, and in memory of those dark days when
Ballantine I.P.A. seemed the sole torchbearer for real
beer, the Dining section's tasting panel decided to sample
21 India pale ales.
Such ales make good seasonal sense and good storytelling,
too. Few beers can conjure so much romance and salty
seagoing adventure as they do. The India pale ale style was
developed in Britain in the 18th century, as a way to
provide the empire's colonial troops in steamy India with
rations of their beloved brew. Beer did not often survive
the marked changes of climate on long trips to tropical
destinations. Efforts to brew it aboard ship failed, and
India lacked the moderate climate necessary, in those days
before refrigeration, for successful brewing.
The solution came in the 1790's. A brewer named George
Hodgson realized that a higher alcohol content would
inhibit spoilage, and that bacterial action could be slowed
by adding extra doses of hops, which impart bitterness,
liveliness and aromatic complexity. The strong ale that
resulted had a distinctive backbone of aggressive
bitterness that could withstand the journey and still
refresh the troops.
The necessity for the techniques of producing India pale
ale eventually died out, but the taste for it did not, and
British and American brewers continued making it through
the early 20th century. With the brewing revival, it seems
as if every good deli has at least a couple of India pale
ales, though the selection is now dominated by American
labels.
Joined by Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery
and author of "The Brewmaster's Table" (Ecco, 2003), my
colleagues Florence Fabricant and Amanda Hesser and I
tasted 18 ales from the United States, 2 from England and 1
from Scotland. Ale, by the way, is a broad subcategory of
beer brewed with yeasts that convert sugar to alcohol at
moderate temperatures and float to the top of the vat after
fermentation is complete. Lager is the other major
subcategory. Its yeasts stay at the bottom of the vat and
work at cooler temperatures.
How true are these modern I.P.A.'s to the original style?
It's hard to say, but given the wide range of aromas,
flavors and alcohol contents, it is clear that the style is
open to considerable interpretation. Typically, India pale
ales are 6 to 7 percent alcohol, as against the 4 to 5.5
percent in most other beers. Yet we tasted, and very much
liked, versions with alcohol levels of 9 percent.
Brewers of these extra-strong beers have even given them a
new name, imperial India pale ale. Perhaps they should be
in a different category, as well. Our third-ranked beer,
the Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial, impressed us all with
its complexity, balance and liveliness, but at 9 percent
alcohol, it is far too much for a sunny summer afternoon.
We gave it three stars, but it is better suited for
after-dinner sipping, maybe with cheese.
By day, I would try one of our top selections, like the
Smutty Nose Big A, which has plenty of personality, a core
of refreshing bitterness and surprisingly fruity flavors.
The Stone ale, too, is focused and fresh, with intriguing
aromas and flavors. We gave three stars to the Harpoon,
which is spicy and harmonious, and two to Samuel Smith's
mellow, minerally India Ale, the only non-American ale to
make our list.
Our tasting did not find much middle ground. Stylistic
differences were one thing, but I divided the ales into two
major groups: those that tasted fresh and alive, and those
that were dead on arrival, most likely because of poor
storage conditions. I expect that if any beer could survive
the rigors of heat and age, it would be India pale ale, but
apparently even this class has its limits.
Among the ales that didn't make the cut in our blind
tasting was Brooklyn Brewery's East India Pale Ale, which
had grapefruit and floral flavors but, to me, smelled old.
Perhaps Mr. Oliver unconsciously identified it as one of
his own, because among the four of us he liked it best.
I was surprised when we learned which beer was which,
because I have always liked the East India Pale Ale. As an
experiment the next night, I bought a cold bottle and
thoroughly enjoyed it. Variations from bottle to bottle are
common in both wine and beer, which can be discouraging to
the consumer, but no more so than to the producer, who
might not get a second chance to impress you with a
product.
That's especially true nowadays. If you don't like one
India pale ale, you can always find another.
Tasting Report: Refreshing as a Breaker at the Beach, and
Nearly as Foamy
Smutty Nose Big A India Pale Ale
Portsmouth, N.H.
22 ounces
$4
*** 1/2
Beautiful cloudy
amber; a big, lively beer with complex aromas, fruit
flavors and lots of bitterness. The consensus favorite.
Stone I.P.A.
San Diego
22 ounces
$4
***
Balanced and
harmonious, with plenty of hop aromas; lively, complex and
persistent flavors.
Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial I.P.A.
Milton, Del.
12
ounces
$2
***
At 9 percent alcohol by volume, this untraditional beer is
not something you would drink a lot of. It is well
balanced, with great complexity and hoppy bitterness;
excellent after dinner or for sipping.
Harpoon I.P.A.
Boston
12 ounces
$2
***
Spicy, complex flavors with
aromas of citrus, anise and cinnamon; well balanced in the
British style, rather than bold and brassy.
Weyerbacher Hops Infusion
Easton, Pa.
12 ounces
$1.25
** 1/2
Dark amber, with clean, piney smell of American hops and
aromas of grapefruit and lemon grass; pleasantly bitter.
Victory HopDevil Ale
Downingtown, Pa.
12 ounces
$2
**
1/2
Distinctive aromas of American hops; bright and citrusy
with tropical fruit flavors. Nicely bitter, but a little
unfocused.
Samuel Smith's India Ale
Tadcaster, England
18.7 ounces
$4
**
Mild and mellow, with pleasing
bitterness and mineral flavors.
Dogfish Head 60 Minute I.P.A.
Milton, Del.
12 ounces
$2
**
Classic style with piney aromas, marred only by a slight
charred quality.
Rogue XS Imperial I.P.A.
Newport, Ore.
22 ounces
$4.79
**
Potent, powerful and intense, very
hoppy and bitter; a lot going on, but not as focused as the
Dogfish Head 90 Minute.
Anchor Liberty Ale
San Francisco
12 ounces
$2
**
Smaller and more timid
than some of the others, but with pleasing bitterness.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/26/dining/26WINE.html?ex=1086592364&ei=1&en=…
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Hey All,
You guys pretty much took care of the Columbus. We are on the last keg, drink it while you can.
This Thursday, 5/27 we will release our Altbier. Stop in from 5-6pm and give it a shot for just $1 per pint. You can find us at 1430 washington ave south in Minneapolis
Cheers
Mike
CONGRATULATIONS to all of the brewers who won in the 2004 Upper Mississippi
Mash-Out this weekend! We had
* 300 entries
* from 82 different brewers
* in 14 states.
It took
* 50 judges and stewards
* 3 days to judge them all,
* in 38 separate flights.
We served breakfast and lunch on Saturday to our judges and stewards, we
went to four bars on our Pub Crawl on Friday Evening
* Town Hall,
* Barley Johns,
* Great Waters and
* Rock Bottom,
and at the awards ceremony on Saturday evening
* we learned about Alt Beer from one of the country's foremost experts,
Roger Deschner from the Chicago Beer Society.
* We also got to preview Summit's new Oatmeal Stout on tap, and
* gave away door prizes from 33 different sponsors.
If you weren't there - too bad for you! It was a GREAT time! Mark your
2005 calendars so you can be there next year: May 19-21, 2005!
Here are the winners! Good job! And thanks to everyone for entering!
BEST OF SHOW BEER
Sterling Bitter Thomas Eibner
BEST OF SHOW MEAD/CIDER
Honeydew Melomel Al Boyce
Amber/ Dark Euro. Beer
1 Three Kings Jerry Sadowski Conrad Kiebles
2 Doggone Dunkel Cory Roach
3 Ottofest Jeff Cotton
Amer. / Euro. Pale Lager
1 Grandpas Stash Steve Fletty
2 Dortmunder Wonder Al Boyce
3 Northern German Lager Rick Oftel
American Pale Ale
1 American Pale Ale Curt and Kathy Stock
2 Very Pale Ale Omar Ansari
3 My APA III Rob Kolacny
Belgian and French Ale
1 Low Pee H Steve Piatz
2 Unnamed Saison Jason Nelson
3 Up a Kreik without Paddle Sean Hewitt
Bitters / English Pale Ale
1 Sterling Bitter Thomas Eibner
2 Beccas Bitter Omar Ansari
3 Eden Prairie Pride Michael Behrendt
Brown / Scottish Ale
1 Brown Ale Michael Heniff
2 Guzz Buzz Brown Curt and Kathy Stock
3 Try Again Brown Mike Moranz
India Pale Ale
1 India Pale Ale Richard Kirn
2 Paki Pale Ale Omar Ansari
3 Old Bombay IPA Steve Fletty
Light Ales / Wheat Beer
1 Will O The Wisp Weisse Dick Nilles
2 Sweetheart Blond Rob Beck
3 Unnamed Northern German Altbier Susan Ruud
Fruit/Spice/Herb/Veg Beer
1 Peach Pickin Time Charlie Burry
2 Mounds Bar Porter John Longballa
3 Holy Cacao! Steve Fletty
Porter
1 Munich Porter Brian Hatcher
2 Mehta Porter III Al Boyce
3 Baltic Porter Brian Beach
Barleywine
1 Barleywine 3 Bob Cromer
2 Cloud Giant Barleywine Dick Nilles
3 British Barleywine Sean Hewitt
Strong Belgian Ale
1 Threeway Cory Carter
2 Saint Agatha Ale Steve Piatz
3 Motley Cru Ray Taylor
Stout
1 Betttys Pout Charlie Burry
2 Dry Stout Paul Dienhart
3 Black Death Oatmeal Stout Nick Scheibel Lance Erickson
Bock
1 Fest Beer 04 Rob Beck
2 Rejuvenator Doppelbock Jeffery Swearengin
3 Frostbite Sean Hewitt
English / Scottish Strong Ale
1 Old Ale Rick Oftel
2 Cloudy Pants Bruce LeBlanc
3 Im Gettin Old Ale Mike Moranz
Imperial Stout
1 She Devil Double D Imperial Stout Curt and Kathy Stock
2 Czars Imperial Stout Ron Lockhart
3 Black Tabby Imperial Stout Chris Mikkelson
Smoke/Eclectic Beer
1 Stephansberg Rauchbier II Jeffery Swearengin
2 Puffdown Porter Mike Ward Eric Biljum
3 Bourbon Barrell Imperial Porter Mike Ward Juan Choi
Mead
1 Honeydew Melomel Al Boyce
2 Plum Wild About You Honey Mike Moranz
3 Apple Butter Concoction Al Boyce
Cider
1 Unnamed Cider Curt and Kathy Stock
2 Specialty Cider Paul Dienhart
3 Kellys Cider Kurt Zemlicka
The Eis Man Cometh!
1 Mesquit-o Eismead Al Boyce
2 Yahko Pilsner Kevin May
3 Arctic Schuitz Mark McDermott
FOR MORE INFORMATION: go to http://www.mnbrewers.com/mashout
- Al
As a reminder for those who ordered honey, I will be in the Summit parking lot at 7:30 pm tomorrow so you can pick up your order prior to the Mashout awards. The cost is $24 per gallon, no tax. Checks are fine. I will be in a silver Mazda Tribute SUV.
Regards, Bob Cromer
Your beer was entered appropriately, however the name was mis-typed as
"Stout" instead of "Porter". It has been corrected. Thanks for pointing
out the error to us.
- Al Boyce
Organizer, 2004 Upper Mississippi Mash-Out
Original Message:
-----------------
From: Northern Brewer info(a)northernbrewer.com
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 16:12:59 -0500
To: mba(a)thebarn.com
Subject: UMMO
Hello, I received an e-mail and it incorrectly stated that my beer for
the UMMO was in the Imperial Stout category when I entered it in the
experimental/historical category as an Imperial Bourbon Barrel PORTER.
Was wondering whom to contact to make sure it doesn't get judged in the
wrong category? Any help appreciated. Thanks.
Juno Choi
--------------------------------------------------------------------
mail2web - Check your email from the web at
http://mail2web.com/ .
Hello, I received an e-mail and it incorrectly stated that my beer for
the UMMO was in the Imperial Stout category when I entered it in the
experimental/historical category as an Imperial Bourbon Barrel PORTER.
Was wondering whom to contact to make sure it doesn't get judged in the
wrong category? Any help appreciated. Thanks.
Juno Choi
Is my formal outfit the Coors shirt with the large grease stain or King of
Beers shirt with the hole
-----Original Message-----
From: mba-bounce(a)thebarn.com [mailto:mba-bounce@thebarn.com] On Behalf Of
Steve Fletty
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 9:28 AM
To: gdhipple; Notices(a)sphbc.org; mba(a)thebarn.com
Subject: Re: Corrected Judge Session Times
We'll be on the first floor in the Aragon Ballroom. Make sure you've got
your formal attire!
When you walk in the main entrance of the hotel head straight past the main
desk and then turn off to the right and go down the hall. At the end of the
hall take left and you;re there.
----- Original Message -----
From: "gdhipple" <gdhipple(a)visi.com>
To: "Steve Fletty" <fletty(a)umn.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 5:08 PM
Subject: Re: Corrected Judge Session Times
> So, the sessions are at the Holiday Inn Metrodome...
>
> in the basement
> in the parking ramp
> on the sidewalk in front
> or will there be signs posted
>
> Inquiring minds want to know...:-)
>
> Steve Fletty wrote ----------------------------------------
>
> >The correct times are:
> >
> >
> >
> >Thu 5/20 - 6pm
> >Thu 5/20 - 8pm
> >Fri 5/21 - 5pm
> >Fri 5/21 - 7pm
> >
> >Sat 5/22 - 9am
> >
> >Sat 5/22 - 1pm
> >
> >Please arrive 15 minutes early for all your assignments. All sessions
will
> >be held at:
> >
> >The Holiday Inn Metrodome (between Town Hall Brewery and Grandma's, in
the
> >West Bank area of Minneapolis)
> >1500 Washington Ave So
> >Mpls, MN 55454
> >1-800-448-DOME (3663)
> >
> >
> >--
> >Steve Fletty
> >fletty(a)umn.edu
> >
> >
>
